Draft-rigging.



J. J. TATUM.

DRAFT RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 1913.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

wi bmaoom to the two applications.

U rnnearns Pare r JOHN J. TATUM, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

FFICE.

DRAFT-RIGGING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

Application filed June 24, 1913. Serial No. 775,508.

One of the objects of'my invention is to provide a yoke head for a draft gear provide'd with transverse slots. said head to receive a coupler and said slots to receive a coupler key.

Another object of my invention is to provide a draft gear yoke with an extension connected thereto for radial movement and forming a receptacle for the reception of the rear end of a draw or coupler bar, said re-. ceptacle having elongated keyways and said bar having a keyway registerin with said slots and a cross key through said keyways to lock the bar in said receptacle, whereby the receptacle or yoke head swings radially with the bar; and with these and minor objects in view, my invention consists of the parts and combination of parts as will "be more fully hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a draft gear yoke provided with a yoke head illustrative of my invention;

, Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a coupler bar keyed to said head;

Fig; 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 2, in which the arrows indicate the direction of ghe radial swing of the head with the draw The reference numeral 1 designates a draft gear yoke comprisin a top member 1?, a bottom member 2, an a rear member 3 constitutin a yoke or casing to surround shock absorbln draft devices (not shown), and having at its forward ends a bearing or stop 4. Any approved shock absorbing device, eithersprmg or friction, may be used in connection with my invention.

The yoke head or receptacle 5 is loosely,

and swingingly mounted in the yoke and held therein by means of the stop 4 against displacement, and for the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown the head in Fig. 1 as consistin of a band-like constructlon, the side we ls of which are provided with elongated keyways 6, through which a cross key 7 passes. 8 is a coupler or draw bar of any approved type, the rear end of which is passed into said band-like head, said end of the bar being provided with a keyway which registers with the elongated keyways G of the head when it is in proper position in said head, said cross key 7 passing through the said keyways to lock the said draw bar to said receptacle or head, whereby the receptacle or head swings radially with the draw bar without imposing strain or stress on the draft rigging, or on the car. Further, by the employment of my invention I am enabledto reduce to a minimum train resistance and to haul longer trains and greater tonnage with a minimum locomotive energy and fuel consumption.

I am enabled also to reduce rail Wear, wheel flange wear, thereby giving a greater factor of safety to both life and property.

The swinging head provides a flexible car-- rier or mounting between the draw bar and draft gear and underframing of the car, which enables a train to pass the sharpest curves without reducing the engaging surfaces between the yokeand draw bar, and without imposing a shearing strain on the flange of the wheel and also enables me to maintain a uniform bearing on the cross key in the slots in the head.

My invention may be applied to many types of existing draft gears and draw bars without changing the construction thereof; therefore, a railroad may adopt my invention without discarding its standard type of draw bar and draft gear, it being necessary onl the hoo or-head on the forward end of the yoke or casing of the draft gear.

As will readily be seen, when a train equipped with my improved swinging head is pulling around a curve, the cross key is sides of the head.

What I claim is to pivotally or swingingly mount 1. In a draft rigging, the combination with a draw bar having a transverse key slot i through its butt-end, of a yoke having a front, rear, top and bottom member,'a substantially U shaped loop loosely confined in said yoke, the arms of said loop each having a key slot to aline' with the-key slot in the draw bar when the butt end of the bar is spaced from the front member of the yoke, and a single key passing through said slots to accommodate service movements-of the and connecting the saidloop to said bar; whereby the loop is free to swing laterally and move axially relatively to the yoke to accommodate the service movements of the coupler.

2. A yoke for draft gear comprising a front, rear, top and bottom member, in combination with a U shaped loop loosely confined between said members, and connected to a coupler bar, whereby said loop is free to swing lateral-1y and move axially relatively to the yoke to accommodate the service movements of the coupler, the arms of said loop each having a key slot.

3. The combination with a coupler having a transverse key slot through its butt end, of a yoke for a draft gear comprising a continuous member having a space for a cushion, a member having forwardly extending arms mounted to swing on the forward end of said yoke and to move axially of the yoke coupler, said arms eachhaving a key slot, and a singlekey passing through said slots to connect the coupler to said arms.

4. In a draft gear, the combination with a yoke, a member having forwardly extending arms swingingly mounted on the forward end of the yoke for radial and axial movement relatively to the yoke, said arms having a key slot, a draw bar the inner end of which projects between said arms and is provided with a key slot, a key constructedto pass through said slot in the bar and arms and secure said bar to said arms, whereby the said arms will swing radially and move axially with the draw bar in service movements.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J OHN J TATUM.

Witnesses:

G. FRED PA'I'rEN,

GAIL B. WILLIAMSON. 

